16-year-old girl defiled and infected with HIV in Lugari Sub County

The parents of the girl have appealed for help from the government and NGOs to find and deal with the perpetrator

A family from Mlimani village in Mautuma location, Lugari Sub County is crying for justice after their 14-year-old blind daughter was defiled and seriously injured. According to the parents, the girl left home in their absence Monday mid-morning before she was found late in the evening seriously bleeding from her private parts.

According to the father, he had remained home with the daughter as her mother attended a women group meeting at Panpaper but he later left her daughter alone resting outside their house at about 10:30 am after receiving a phone call informing him of animals that had invaded his farm which is miles away and destroyed maize crop.

He said on returning at about 12 noon he didn’t find his daughter, “I searched for her in all rooms, including the toilet and even in the nearby church where she liked resting when left alone but she wasn’t there,” said the father.

He later informed his wife, neighbours and church member who joined together and launched a manhunt for her. The parents said they spent the rest of the day searching
unsuccessfully before a neighbour informed them late in the evening that she had received a phone call informing her that the girl had been spotted at Nabemo village several kilometres away. “Her father left for Nabemo as I remained to handle other chores but
minutes after he had left a good samaritan brought my daughter,” explained the mother.

She said the lady informed her that she was surveying her farm when she spotted the girl struggling to get out from the bush that borders her farm.

She approached her and it’s when she realized the minor was blind and had been sexually abused as she blood was rolling down her legs.

The woman took her to her home where she gave her some food before she started tracing her parents or relatives. Lucky enough the girl knew her home village and her parent’s names which helped the good samaritan to trace them.

According to the victim, she was slowly walking along the village streets when a man who claimed to know her so well approached her and told her that she was heading in a wrong direction and she could get lost. He offered to take her back to their home but instead, the man directed her in the bush where he defiled her severally before abandon her in the bush late in the evening.

The girl was later taken to Mautuma sub county hospital on Tuesday where medical reports confirmed that she had indeed been defiled and seriously injured. Later tests revealed she was infected with HIV.

Parents are now appealing to human rights organization and other legal arms of the government to help their daughter get justice. “I think this beastly incident was done by a well-known person. It’s just unfortunate that my daughter is blind but she could have revealed who it was,” said the mother amid sobs.

The incident has been bitterly condemned by residents led by the Mlimani African Brotherhood church pastor Wycliffe Wafula Maombo. “This girl is the most disciplined member of my church and when not in school she likes spending most of her free time
in the church regardless the day of the week. I wonder how a normal man in his real senses can defile such a disabled blind girl and infect her with HIV,” said Maombo.

The pastor has also joined the parents in appealing for intervention from government and nongovernmental organizations to help pursue justice for their daughter. “These parents live in abject poverty and alone they won’t fight for their daughter’s justice. That’s why we are appealing for legal assistance from both the government and nongovernmental organization,” said the pastor.

Police officers at Mlimani patrol base where the case was reported on Wednesday have launched an investigation into the incident.